Outsourcing for the Future

Welcome to 2009! Turbulent economic times have driven companies everywhere to look for ways to cut costs so they can keep a healthy bottom line. Many of these companies are considering an outsourcing solution for some company functions that are not among their team’s core competencies. Outsourcing allows you to maintain quality service levels and stay on track with new initiatives you need to keep your business growing.

If you are challenged with needing to reduce operating costs, increase productivity without increasing staff, and staying competitive by taking advantage of trends and innovations, you are a leader with a focus on future growth.

Here are some highpoints on Outsourcing I think might be helpful if you are considering this model:

What types of jobs should I outsource?

Certainly a case can be made to outsource just about any type of job that you need performed to meet your business goals, but the successful outsourcing strategy has you keeping in-house talent that contributes to your core business development and outsource jobs that require specialized knowledge outside of your product or service delivery functions.

For example, payroll is a commonly outsourced function. A competent payroll service provider will ensure the process is efficient and performed according to current regulations and guidelines, protecting you from potential violations and penalties. Many other HR functions are outsourced for similar reasons and because outsourcing can remove the burden of repetitive tasks that keep you from the important revenue-generating tasks in your business.

There are other cases for outsourcing that are not cost or commodity driven.

Often outsourcing can bridge skill gaps in areas that are outside your core competence. Marketing outsourcing is an excellent example of this type of strategic outsourcing. The marketing function is complex and to stay competitive with emerging trends that keep you in front of your customers and prospective customers, you need an expert. Can you afford an expert on staff full time? And will that one person be an expert across all marketing competences (graphics, media, public relations, online strategy, etc). How will your expert remain an expert as new media and advertising trends emerge?

Maybe your money better spent on a partnership with a firm that can provide depth of experience in all marketing competences for about the same price as one full time employee.

Select the right partner.

Unless you’ve been under a rock, you have probably heard at least one outsourcing horror story. So why risk it?

Most outsourcing failures can be attributed to poor customer service policies or failure to deliver the promise. You must select a partner that has a strong track record of providing world class service and executing winning strategies.

I actually believe that there is a strong case for outsourcing with the right partner. Benefits include:
• Improved company focus
• Reduced and controlled operational costs
• Access to experts in a dedicated field (i.e., HR, payroll, marketing)
• Greater accountability to execute strategy

BOTTOM LINE – When outsourcing is done right, you can concentrate on the aspects of the business that you love and that make you money$$.

Rebranding: New Year, New Name

We’ve just launched a new brand for our company. Through the exciting process, we focused on a few key issues:

What’s in a Brand?

It’s more than just a logo. Brands provide credibility, expansion opportunities, and competitive advantage that help ensure sustained business growth. Your brand is how your clients perceive you when your logo is seen, your name is heard, or when an invoice arrives in the mail. It is the key to your long-term survival and recognition as a leader in your market.

To successfully promote your brand, you must consider every point of contact with clients, prospects, and partners. Develop messages that will create impressions that result in increased business opportunities and profits. Something as simple as changing the greeting on your phone system sets the tone for your callers and supports your brand.

Why Rebrand?

“An object in motion will remain in motion, while an object at rest tends to stay at rest.”
– Sir Isaac Newton

That simple statement says it all. In today’s competitive marketplace, you must continue to evolve your business to stay relevant, reposition to address changing market trends, or revitalize your organization to meet strategic goals. These are all dependant on developing an effective brand.

When to Rebrand?

Companies that are expanding product or service offerings (organically or through acquisition) make up the largest percentage of companies initiating rebranding efforts. Other considerations for rebranding can include:

• To move into new markets, especially with global expansions
• To exhibit unique innovation – such as Apple’s “i” devices (iPhone, iMac) branded to distinguish their place in the internet market
• To combat stagnation or brand erosion

The bottom line with any rebranding strategy is that it should enforce the bond you have with your current client base and create interest with your prospects. Your brand should position you as the ONLY option, rather than the better option. Successful rebranding will ultimately enhance your client base and increase customer loyalty leading to continued business opportunities and referrals.

Invest in the Development of Your People

You’ve hired quality employees, now invest in their development to ensure they excel. Certifications, continuing education, and skill set training translate to big payoffs for businesses. To ensure your company gets the most out of employee training, create a clearly defined set of objectives to drive your decisions. Assess which employees will benefit the most from training, what specific training is necessary for employees to be more productive, and what method of training will be the most effective and cost efficient.  The American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) traditionally recommends approximately 40 hours of training a year for employees. This parallels with the importance of ongoing development from the employee’s perspective, ranking toward the top of the list of things they want to experience at work.

Consider training options that deliver information in a compelling format, supply materials for future reference, and are presented by industry-respected associations, companies or individuals. Online training provides an economic way to enhance an employee’s learning experience. Research webinars, subscription sites and online tutorials that multiple employees can benefit from simultaneously. Locate businesses you can take field trips to, or volunteer speakers who have knowledge of your trade. When employees have completed their training, provide a forum for them to share their gained knowledge with the rest of the team. When economic uncertainty can jeopardize the advancement of your business, an investment in the development of your people can ensure stability in a rapidly changing market.

Employers who encourage training benefit from:

Increased productivity and efficiency
Employees who expand their knowledge base perform better; completing tasks quickly and with more accuracy.

Capability to adapt to new technologies and trends
A sufficiently knowledgeable staff enhances a company’s competitive position and opportunity for expansion.

Improved morale and team motivation
Employees develop a sense of self-worth and value as they improve their skill set. and build the team by sharing their knowledge.

These benefits can lead to an overall increase in profitability.

Author: Brandi Solomon
Creative Director
Read more blogs from the Creative Team

Small Businesses Should Step Up in a Down Economy

The stock market has declined by almost 18% so far in 2008. Companies that are cornerstones to our economy are folding or being bailed out by the government. In Texas, gas prices are up 42% since this time last year. As a small business owner, how do you navigate this treacherous terrain?

Close up shop – find safe harbor in a large corporate environment?
No way – there’s no such thing anymore!

Take a vacation – hide out until things turn around?
Don’t kid yourself – your financial problems won’t fix themselves, they’ll be waiting there for you when you come out of hiding!

Lead the charge to success and economic turnaround?
Yes! Keep doing the things you know are fundamental to your success and use this as an opportunity to step up and stay in the forefront of your market.

When the economy is in a slump, we as business owners have to be vigilant in how we spend our $$, controlling cost is the only way we’ll survive. So where do you cut costs without impacting your ability to succeed in a down economy? Here are some of my thoughts:

• How much are you spending on office supplies every month? Can you do without the stack of brand new file folders and just turn used ones inside out?
• Are you furnishing a new office, need a new copier, fax machine, or other equipment? Check out Craig’s List for used furniture or equipment.
• Have you checked the local real estate market to make sure you are paying a reasonable market value for your office space? Rates have been dropping; don’t lose out on an opportunity to cut one of your largest expenses.

Cutting out the excess is an important step, but equally important is continuing to invest in the areas that are critical to your growth, like:

• Don’t be afraid to hire new staff – downsizing in corporate America can lead to opportunities for small business owners to add some of the best talent in the market at a rate you can afford.
• Strengthen your message in the marketplace – make sure you are keeping your message in front of your customers and prospects so they are confident you will be around for the long haul to service them now and into the future.

I speak from experience on this topic; CMC opened its doors in September of 2002, during a down cycle of the economy. We started this business with our eyes wide open to that challenge, but we met the challenge head on, certain that the clients that would be attracted to our strategic outlook on their long term marketing goals, were the types of business owners that are here to stay. That business model has proven itself, and we are thrilled to see the success of our clients that started with us then and continue to thrive today.

Small business is the backbone of this country’s economy and small business owners bring the innovation and energy required to advance opportunities in the business world. We’ll meet today’s challenges so that we can reap the rewards of tomorrow’s future!

Author: Dee Parker
Sr. Consultant & Partner
Read more of Dee’s blogs.

Welcome to Ignite It’s Adventures in Marketing!

Welcome to the Ignite It Group blog! We have discovered over the last several years – working with so many different companies in such different industries – that we have an abundance of stories that other people may find useful, so we’ve entitled our blog “Adventures in Marketing”. Here we will collect and post entries from the Ignite It team documenting experiences we have found both constructive and entertaining as it relates to our business.

What do we do? We are a full-service marketing company in the Dallas/Fort Worth area with a diverse client base. We build partnerships with our clients so we can custom tailor marketing solutions to complement their personalities as well as their business (to read more about our team, click here).